Harry Main Welcomes 2016 with Big Changes38

Harry Main surprised everyone at the start of the year with major splits from many of his primary sponsors - Hyper, Snafu, Coyote Sports, and Custom Riders Shop. That left an abounding amount of people speculating as to what was going on. News broke soon after that he would be joining UK-based Mafia Bikes. Here are 13 questions with the man himself that should give you plenty of insight and answers as to why his sponsor revisions were made, his plans with his brand-new bike sponsor, his own ideas for BMX, and more.

Where are you currently at now?

Liverpool, UK.

What did you do today?

Got up and walked my dogs, rode for eight hours, took my hot as fuck chick to dinner, and then edited a video for my YouTube channel.

Let’s jump right in. You started off 2016 in a surprising way by announcing you left many of your sponsors - Hyper, Snafu, Coyote Sports, and Custom Riders Shop. What spurred the change?

Seeing how dormant and dead BMX sales are currently was my main motivator behind the change. Let’s look at the majority of core reactions over the past week from various pros, bike brands, and shops - they’re hurting and complaining that what I’m doing is “bad for BMX.” I’ve been dealing with this constant battle of keeping a lid on BMX to make sure it stays how it should be. The way you’ve seen people react publicly on my photos this week is a current reflection on the state of BMX as an industry. BMX is filled with jealousy and that’s why it’s struggling - enough that it scared the shit out of half of the industry when I decided to take a path of my own with Mafia, who I have a lot of respect for.

I weighed things out for months. I had this offer on the table for a long time. And, when I say a long time, I mean years. At this point in my career, I felt like it was the right time to go into business with Mafia Bikes. I want to change BMX - even though I know the core riders that everyone’s used to will never change. Those riders never had respect and they never will. I, at least, want to change my BMX world. I want kids to know that a bike costs probably a third of the price of what they think it costs, that they can buy it from me for that price, and that it will still be from the same factory where at least 90% of other brands products come from. I want a kid to know that in my BMX world, it’s cool as fuck to want to be sponsored and be the best. That’s fucking cool in my eyes.

If BMX is so perfect at this current moment, then how would me joining Mafia Bikes ruin the industry? What would the future look like for our sport if that was the case? You can fight change or stay the same but whatever you choose, change is happening. That was my motivation behind my move to Mafia.

Has this put a strain on any of your relationships with former teammates and others within those brands?

Honestly, no. I don’t really have strong relationships with anyone on teams. I’ve never really been a team guy. I have the most respect for Clay (Goldsmid) who owns Hyper BMX out of everyone I’ve ever worked with previously.

Vans is another sponsorship that had ended recently, correct? That seemed to go unnoticed by a lot of people. What happened there?

To be honest, I got used by Vans. They were the lowest paying sponsor that I’ve had since I was 19-years-old, but I did it because I was actually really into their products. Straight up, Vans picked me up knowing what I do and how I roll. That was more than obvious to me. I was never a team guy in BMX and they knew this. I’m more of a brand. I make Harrymainia, not go on road trips. I also ride alone a lot and have my own skatepark, which should have made my intentions obvious. To be as successful as possible is what drives me and makes me happy, along with riding. Vans told me they were not going to renew my contract due to “not feeling like I was a part of their family.” At that point, I felt “the family” was picked and I wasn’t a part of it. In my opinion - without being disrespectful - there are a lot of people in certain roles within large brands looking after their own interests in BMX. They are funding their own lifestyles instead of focusing on what they actually can do to give a big brand the most exposure and push BMX to the masses. Vans and I finally agreed that they wanted to do cool-core shit and that they basically didn’t give a fuck about how much exposure or sales an individual athlete brings to the table. “They don’t buy teams. They build them.” That is fair enough, but they should have never picked me up in the first place if that was the case. In my opinion, I feel I was used for my exposure for the short period of time I was with them. I will never wear Vans ever again as they left me feeling used. That’s also the main reason why I never mentioned parting ways with Vans. Some people will agree with me and some people who love Vans as a brand will hate me for speaking up. No one is right or wrong in the situation, but what I will say is I felt used. The conversation on the matter ends there for me.

These changes obviously left many wondering what was going on and where you would end up. When news broke about your new home with Mafia Bikes, it sparked even more questions. Why Mafia Bikes?

Direct sales. On one end, I have my clothing brand - The Wandering - and Rocker mini-bikes selling faster than I could restock them. Then, at the other end, I’ve got bike brands and shops telling me BMX is fucked, nothing is selling, and skateparks are closing down because there are no new riders. Like most other aspects in life, things have changed and you can now buy cheaper and easier. At Mafia, they sell direct - just like Rocker and The Wandering. Mafia is great for BMX. In fact, they are the number one seller on Amazon and eBay right now. That means Mafia put so many bikes on the streets and brought more kids into riding due to their bikes being more affordable because of direct-to-consumer sales. Since I’m getting older now - I’m 25-years-old and can think for myself - I personally think this is better for BMX than anything else right now. That’s why I chose Mafia. More bikes, more kids. End of story.

Could you tell us more about Mafia as a brand? What’s their story in general? Where are they based out of, who’s behind it, and anything else you might want to shed light on?

Mafia Bikes is based out of the UK. It’s great and owned by really driven guys who are willing to be disrespected by the elders and the core riders of BMX to do what they truly believe in. They put thousands of kids on bikes monthly and I think anyone who can do that deserves a handshake. I respect them massively and feel very confident going into business with them.

I’d be willing to bet you have a few signature parts in the works with them. What products can we expect and do you have any idea on a potential release date?

I can’t say everything just yet. I can say that I’ll have the normal frame, forks, bars, and complete bikes. All of these products will be made in the same factory as the majority of bike brands and be of the same quality, but released at a fraction of the price. They are able to do so because no distribution centers or shops are putting their profit margins on top of the price of the products. You go online and you order, and you get it cheaper for doing so.

Is there a Mafia team?

To be honest, the team is currently only Tom Justice and I. Tom is fucking amazing! Haha. He makes riding bikes look better than most.

What are you most excited about regarding your new deal with Mafia Bikes?

My new frame! We have a special feature that I can't talk about just yet that no other bike brand has ever made before on a frame. I’ve wanted to make this for too long!

Have you been doing much with your The Wandering?

Not for January. Pretty chilled.

It’s evident that you’ve put a lot of energy into your YouTube channel lately. Can people expect that to continue? Any special plans with it?

I just want to make content that inspires kids to keep coming to the skatepark. I want to help keep skateparks alive, keep kids stoked on extreme sports, and keep BMX in the public eye. This is my contribution of giving back for what BMX has done for me. I used to watch Road Fools and go ride and, well, now there’s no Road Fools. So, I hope my content makes kids want to ride.

Guys, direct sales bike companies are nothing new, there is no disruption going on here. There have been a bunch of these brands in road and MTB over the years. They do no harm – to Harry’s point they only serve to draw more folks into the sport. Once that kid gets really into BMX and beats his $200 clunker to a pulp, you know where he’s going next. Getting the nicest goddamn bike he can afford, brand be damned! You get what you pay for!!!

Harry definitely could have handled this interview a little more professionally, lol. No matter how mad you are or how much flak someone deserves, it’s never good to burn bridges. He’s alienating himself and he really doesn’t have to.

That said I do really like Harry, one of my favorite riders of late. He seems genuinely driven, which is good. He’s right that the industry needs a big push to draw more kids to the sport – it’s down in the bottom of the trough right now. He’s doing what he believes will work best – more power to him. If nothing else, he’s got all of us talking. Indifference might be the most dangerous attitude of all!

I'm all about doin what you feel is right, but what tripped me out was the Vans shit. If you're so stoked on a company's products, why does it matter if they don't pay you as much as you're other sponsors? You're rolling around in sportscars and have your own skatepark, but no. It's not enough. You need MORE money.

Yeah, I don't think he understood what they were telling him when they said the stuff about not buying teams, but building them. Non-BMX kids & parents who don't have a clue who the hell Harry Main is DO know who & what Vans are... So there's value in being associated with them even if they're not paying you a ton. He sounds like a petulant kid.

Dear Harry, Congratulations!! I wish you much success with your new ventures!! I hope you live long and prosper forever with BMX. You are awesome and you have had nothing but a positive impact on me and I think your ideas for the future show promise and will create a positive disruption in the BMX industry and continue to bring you success.

It's crazy that there's more negative comments on this interview than there is positive comments on any of the recent videos with amazing riding. It's like the bmx media world has all gone into salty mode... A bike rider changed sponsors and that's worth talking about more than the actual riding that we all enjoy? Go ride, go dig, play pumped bmx or Dave Mirra games! What ever it takes to get back to the fun part.

BMX has got 99 problems....... and Harry Main ain't one of them.
Bmx has an image problem in general. When that 14-18 yr old kid growing up in the suburbs decides that : scooters, skateboards, mountain bikes, fixies , or what have you, is Cooler than bmx..... Then that starts a downward spiral for the industry generally. The average suburban kid is gonna be able to come up with the dough to get whatever bmx he wants. That is- If they are- or have become Serious about it. If they are buying Walmart bikes, then they are the kids that aren't serious and do no tricks, and just cruise around. What BMX needs is a super high profile role model for the masses to rep for the "sport" - (cough , Scotty Cramner, cough)

go to the FBM website and read the latest article they posted, entitled "in defence of BMX" then tell me Mafia (a company 99% of you had never heard of before all this) are going to help our culture. if this is the future of bmx, you can say goodbye to your local shop, favourite mail order company, and eventually, all the companies that have ploughed their resources into making bmx what it is today. say goodbye to your own scene, and any dreams you have of someday starting your own brand

The only way that any of what you said will happen is if somehow this brand becomes popular and sells a lot, which it won't. Harry is popular, but mainly with the younger, new rider crowd, and those kids will soon be making their own brand choices, regardless of their favorite rider. Plus people in BMX understand what good quality is.

Well said. How can you say that Harry Main is killing bmx? This is giving him more power than he has. It's his right to do what he wants without someone to say "this is NOT bmx culture". Your culture might not be the same than someone else culture. Harry Main doesn't deserve all this hatred. If bmx is not just a hobby but a culture, how a single guy (because nobody talk about Tom Justice also signing with mafia bmx) could destroy this culture. I remenber back in the days when lots of people criticized Dave Mirra for being a competitor, which was not in bmx culture...

''BMX: IT IS A FAMILY. WE ARE PART OF AN AMAZING CULTURE. WE SHAPE IT. OWN IT. SHARE IT. AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
Sound familiar? Now take the shop out of the equation. Take out the local skatepark. Take out the older rider who shared his positive and meaningful outlook on BMX. Take out the rider-owned company. And what do you have left?
You have a random person with a random piece of machinery whom might find a place to use it. A person who will approach BMX like it is any other mainstream sport. A person who will learn about BMX from self-serving and arrogant YouTube personalities''

A newer company making cheap bikes wont change a thing. Completes have always been made for entry level riders. Wether a rider owned company backs them, or a corporation. Riders who get serious, buy quality. FBM, Standard, Solid, SandM, and Volume are examples of riders starting their own brand, and doing well. Dream big.

To people saying this is the "death of BMX" I think you are wrong, and here is why. Most people had never heard of Mafia Bikes until this move of Harry's. Those folks that have tend to have no respect for the brand for various reasons. That right there tells me that the core of people who will buy bikes from Mafia will be NEW RIDERS, parents who are cheap/can't afford a better setup, and wannabes who are trying to be trendy. It will not be the riders who have been shredding for years. I look at those customers as the same folks who buy "BMX" type bikes from department stores and think they are the same quality. Shop employees know all about those parents who think a 150 dollar bike is the same as a 500 dollar bike. Mafia MIGHT be above department store level (I have never seen one) so it would be a decent middle ground to go for. DK tried the EXACT SAME THING (bridging the gap between dept store bikes and shop level bikes) and NO ONE SAID A WORD about it "killing BMX". It's another dept store style brand. No one is flipping out about kids who start on walmart bikes either. This is NO DIFFERENT aside from his name being attached. It might even bring kids into the "core" side of BMX, because they buy a cheaper bike and see videos of Harry shredding (he is a damn talented rider, don't even try to deny it) and it could get them stoked. Then they check out other videos, see other brands and BOOM you have a core rider. Not always gonna be the case, but it likely will bring in new riders, despite all your hate.

Also, WHY HAS NO ONE TRIED TO BASH TOM JUSTICE FOR RIDING FOR THEM TOO? I'd bet he is excited for things to come with Harry on the team.

Ride your damn bike, buy from your favorite brands, and shut up. Besides, 99% of kids out there order from Dan's, Albe's and Empire, who typically buy DIRECT from merchants. While 2/3 of those have shops, those kids pretty much ALWAYS have a local shop, but the local shops "cost too much" which makes them huge hypocrites.

Regardless, it is HIS DECISION, and I would bet it will not cause you ANY ISSUE with your current favorite brands (which will change with the next announcements of sponsor changes anyway).

EDIT: Took a look at the website and I feel I am correct. Very much aimed to be the middle ground for dept store bikes and shop bikes.

Wow... This is a shame from Harry. I have known Harry since he was a kid, watched him turn down LOTS of money from KHE, take great deals with Nike & Monster. People that helped propel him to where he is... Whats really sad is that he is so deluded he really believes in what he is doing.
If he thinks selling bikes direct to kids via Mafia BMX is beneficial to the sport that made him he is very much mistaken... Mafia BMX has never supported BMX in any way, shape or form... nor did their previous company Amity bikes. These guys are jokers, chasing the money and in all honesty it looks like Harry has found his calling. He thinks BMX is struggling because of 'jealousy and haters'? Dude fcukin wake up, its suffering because people are bleeding it dry, the same people you talk about 'looking after their own interests' is EXACTLY what you've become my friend. I always believe in marketing yourself as a brand BUT not at the expense of the sport or the people that helped you along the way....
Josh Perry... You think a company like Mafia Bikes gives a flying fcuk about the ARF or anything related to BMX other than profits? You're as much of a fool as Harry if you think this is the right way for BMX.
RIP Harry.... When the resurgence comes it will not be cause of you. Long live BMX
"Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction"

"People that helped propel him to where he is". Do you really think nike, monster, or KHE wanted to "help" him? They paid him to make money because he's a great bmx rider. Come on man, nike, you talked about NIKE... You know underpaid asians, this is bmx also for you?

Nike, yes Nike... The brand that ploughed a lot of money into BMX for a few years which is more than Mafia will ever do.They may not be here now but whilst they were they paid for events, riders, trips, coverage etc... Maybe Mafia will prove me wrong but I doubt it. And yes Nike DID want to help him, hence why they took him on media training courses and alike..

Not help him, make MONEY using him!!! Do you really think they put money in bmx just because they like bmx? No, for the profit. For make people buy their shoes. I don't say it's bad, I just say they that's how it's work, it's a business. "They may not be here now". Nike doesn't like bmx anymore? Or they just don't make enough money?

Do we have to keep doing this? Yes they helped him for fcuk sake whilst helping theirselves, thats how business & sponsorships work. The point you are missing with ALL of this is that Mafia Bikes/Amity Bike Co/Rocker Bike whatever will NEVER put into BMX, never. At least the company who exploit the asians put money in... MAYBE, maybe if BMX was a bit more organised, like Skateboarding then companies like Nike would stick around...

lost a lot of respect from me just from the disposition he puts off from this interview. professional? nah. over paid and over hyped. this made him sound super ungrateful. think hes doing something big for bmx? whats the last major positive progress he has given bmx? seriously, he should sit back and take notes on someone like Steve Crandall.

I love Steve Crandall , but that's like saying the oldest beer is the best beer , it just isn't....fbm appeals to a core group of og's, as rad as they are , they don't expose bmx to new eyes as much as riders like Harry main and the new school shredders who get tv time to the masses, if anything you should be grateful to riders trying to get more kids into bmx so they can learn about guys like Steve Crandall and buy fbm products down the road

All these jealous haters in bmx , until they put out entertaining content about bmx on a YouTube channel on an almost daily basis and ride on the level of Harry I just won't be able to take them seriously , all these haters are the same douche bags who hated hyper before he got on their team to , if hating on brands and riders now is the cool thing to do id rather be lame and aspire to work harder to better
Myself like Harry

im (not) gonna argue with a bunch of park rats ass lickers, your fucking perception of bmx is TOO NARROW to comprehend this shit. your fucking vanilla ice and where're the big daddy kane, fuck you. we stay real while you just be clowning on rockers. plus you dont know shit about me you ignorant old fuck. ps. i wouldnt engage in this shitstorm if i didnt love bmx and cared so much about it so go ahead call me jelous trendy wannabe. go suck LZ's dick

Comments like this below are exactly what he is talking about in BMX. SO much, hate, disrespect, and jealousy. Bottom line, Harry and Mafia are getting kids on bikes. Thats going to help BMX grow. You cannot expect the sport to grow by staying "cool" or "core" and not advertising/selling bikes to kids outside of the ones that already ride or may know about it. That is just absurd. I respect Harry and all he is doing. He not only busts his ass on his bike, he busts his ass to market BMX to the outside action sports world, ultimately bringing more to our sport. Jealousy is the correct word in this situation. Do your thing, Harry, and help BMX!

That is a bold statement about someone who handles himself professionally and doesn't hate on people, ignorantly, that he doesn't know. I know Harry personally and have so since he was a young kid that no one knew, thanks to Myspace of all places. Haha. He is not a piece of shit and actually makes BMX look good, unlike your immature comment. Ride your bike and have fun. Don't hate one others for bringing more kids to BMX while you hate on the internet and don't contribute to BMX positively.

The words in this sound like his honest opinion, and maybe even held back a little.. lol. The thing I don't get, is why everyone reacts so much about these deals between sponsors and riders. It's between them. Doesn't effect our day to shredding or enjoyment of riding. Let these dudes and companies work out their own b.s.

Good move by him. I didn't understand his reasons originally, but this clears it up. The people who 'hate' on this are the people we really don't need anywhere near the public side of the sport. They're better left to the dark back corner where they can't do too much damage. Let them blog on their wordpress site that receives 300 users a month on how this is "Only for the money and the love for the sport is gone". Good on ya Harry, I'll be watching what you have coming.